Bps Johnny Morris Carbonlite Casting Rod Breaking And Snapping Issues

[Big Fish Small Pond]

I have read many reviews on BPS's own website on the lack of durability on these rods. On the other hand, people on this very forum have endorsed this rod as a good casting rod to use overall. From what I gather it is a pretty great rod to use(sensitivity wise and just general use and weight), however, many had the rod break on them under regular circumstances such as during the hookset.

What is the whole story of the durablity issues? (As I see this as a major blocking point from purchasing this rig)

[Bluebasser86]

I know of several guys that use them and none of them have ever broke them. Whether they fess up to it or not, a majority of broken rods are due to abuse or user error. 

[Big Fish Small Pond]

Yea, I kind of got the feeling that some of those that had rods break on them were not being fully honest about the manner in which the rod had snapped or broken on them.

Thanks for your input bluebasser

[Chief 2]

Each of the two rods I had were great to use right up to the point they snapped. First one snapped close to the tip on a hook set. Returned that one for a replacement. Second one snapped about 6" down when casting a lure. Returned it and got a Duckett.

[Catch and Grease]

If a rod has a manufacturing defect that's gonna cause it to break it'll break pretty quick, if you have the rod for months then it all the sudden snaps its most likely from something that you did wrong or the rod got damaged in some way.

[masterbass]

I've had mine for almost 2 years and I use it a lot.  I've since bought omens, envys, daiwas, megabass, loomis and guess what... I still love my carbonlite. 

[Jay Ell Gee]

If a rod has a manufacturing defect that's gonna cause it to break it'll break pretty quick, if you have the rod for months then it all the sudden snaps its most likely from something that you did wrong or the rod got damaged in some way.

This.

A few things to consider, though.

The Carbonlite rods are by FAR BPS's best selling rod line overall. The more rods that go out the door and into people's hands, the more chances they have to break them. It's just a numbers thing.

Also, while many fisherman would consider the Carbonlite a fairly "high end" rod (fair enough to say it is) it also has a fairly "mid level" price, especially with the PQ as a combo for 160. That means that a lot of these combos are making their way into fisherman's hands as their "first big boy setup" than seasoned pro's on the whole. These guys may not even understand how to take care of a rod, much less realize how easy any graphite/carbon rod can be to break.

Third, an in-house warranty leads to a lot of rods broken with ill-intent or even just people that seem to care less about taking care of it "because they will just replace it anyway." I actually watched a guy argue his heart out at the counter once that a rod he clearly snapped over his knee or in a rod locker door had broken "on a hookset." If you inspect enough rod breaks, you can get a decent idea of how each type of break looks.

That is my theory as to why the reviews seem the way they are. Also, keep in mind that almost nobody but unhappy customers wrote about their experiences in reviews, so that's something else to consider.

Overall, they are nice rods and I like them a lot. I own one and will eventually own more.

[bbodkin]

I have a bps carbonlite and I have hit it on everything and it hasn't chipped or broken anywhere. I broke an *** black by setting the hook and have done more things to the carbonlite and set the hook harder than I have with the ***. That says something.

But what is also great is in a lot Bass Pros, if not all of them, they will take back any of your broken bps rods and replace them anytime. So I will always have a carbonlite just for safety (since I can go down the road to my bass pro if anything happens) and because it's a good to rod.

[F14A-B]

I believe it's a 1 year warranty on the BPS rod,

Has anyone had one replaced after a couple of years?

[cbass12]

It is a 1 year warranty. Luckily I haven't had to exchange any of mine, and I've got 4 of them that get a lot of use. The only issue I've had was my own fault, I stumbled in the boat and stepped on the butt section. Ripped part of the EVA on the handle off which I had to superglue back on.

[Djf3864]

Been a great casting rod for me, coupled with a Johnny Morris reel also from BPS.

[Preytorien]

I've had one a couple years and never had an issue

 

Like has been stated, a lot of it is probably high-sticking, swinging, etc.....user error

 

It's one of my favorite rods. I have a Fast/Heavy version with a Carbonlite 6.3:1 reel for my frog setup.....more than one of my friends have asked to use it while I'm using a different rod

 

But as for durability.....I've not had any problems

[CarolinaBoy4Life]

I have about 8 Carbonlite rod setup's from BPS. Never had any issues. Just as I pointed out in a previous post that majority of the rod's I see broke are Duckett. Probably 90% of these breaks are consumer error. I work in the OPE business and a defect will come out sooner rather than later. I've never had an issue out of any of my BPS rod's. I take care of my equipment and I do maintenance regularly. That's not to say there isnt a bad rod that makes it out every now and then especially with the amount of Carbonlite rod's that are sold.

[OnthePotomac]

I am up to seven Carbonlites, having added one more each year since they hit the stores.  Mine are 6'6 MH (micro guides) 7' MH and 7' Med.  They have really gotten a work out on the Potomac grass beds with plastics, jigs, spinner baits, soft swim baits and crank baits with no problems.  The biggest Potomac bass on them was 6lb8oz, a 15lb snake head and a couple of 15lb cats over time.  That said, they don't go into the back of my truck with a rod cover on them.

[Steveo-1969]

I've got a 7' MHF with a Carbonlite reel I use for jig fishing.  Not as sensitive as I'd like, but no problem with durability.

[Darren.]

I have 2 Carbonlites, one spinning, one casting.

 

My first casting rod broke due to one of our young 

knuckleheaded labs stepping on it, LOL. I simply 

had it retipped by a rod builder.

 

While I was in my local BPS, I told my friend, who 

is also the fishing manager, and he told me that 

I should bring it in and get a new one. I replied that

it was my fault the tip broke and he said it didn't 

matter because they are warrantied for *anything* 

in the first year. If you don't like the color, return it. 

 

So I did and they asked no questions. I exchanged 

the 6'6" M for a 6'6" ML. It's been awesome!

 

BPS also now sells 2 and 3 year warranties for these...

[Gone fishing1969]

Got a Carbonite 2.0 rod for Christmas 2020 so was excited to used it when fishing season opened. Unfortunately on the first day out, the rod tip snapped off at the 6th eyelet while casting a crank bait. I was so disappointed. It made a huge popping sound and broke clean as if it cleanly cut on the eyelet. Could this just have been a manufactured defect? Will it be covered under warranty?

[JediAmoeba]

1 hour ago, Gone fishing1969 said:

Got a Carbonite 2.0 rod for Christmas 2020 so was excited to used it when fishing season opened. Unfortunately on the first day out, the rod tip snapped off at the 6th eyelet while casting a crank bait. I was so disappointed. It made a huge popping sound and broke clean as if it cleanly cut on the eyelet. Could this just have been a manufactured defect? Will it be covered under warranty?

Should definitely be covered under warranty.  If you bought it from the sales floor it could have had a crack from people abusing it.  You would be amazed at how bad those sales floor models get abused!

 

It could also be a defect or manufacturing blunder when attaching the eyelets - those rods are mass produced so it would be hard to catch it.

[NOC 1]

The vast majority of failed rods do so because of user abuse or accidental damage. I for one will almost never buy a rod off of the rack except at a small Mom and Pop shop where I know they keep an eye out. I've seen a hundred rods at places like Wal-Mart, Bass Pro, Cabala's and etc. being whacked on the edge of shelves, tapped on the floor, or otherwise beat up. Just about every one of those rods that get smacked on a shelf has a failure in its near futuer more thn likely.

 

Here is to a link to a good article from NFC's website. I've also read an article by Gary Loomis that is just as good, but I can't remember where.

 

https://northforkcomposites.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Rod_Break_Article.pdf

 

[NOC 1]

On 10/19/2014 at 2:21 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

I know of several guys that use them and none of them have ever broke them. Whether they fess up to it or not, a majority of broken rods are due to abuse or user error. 

Yes. My son loves these rods and has a bundle of them. Some of them I know that he has had for 5 years or so, maybe longer. He has never broken a single one and uses them pretty hard.   

 

Like you say, most failed rods are broken by the user. Not that people are necessarily being dishonest,  People often just don't remember that little whack on the door frame leaving the house when, later in the day the rod breaks from it. On the other hand a whole ton of people are dishonest. I've heard many on the forums boldly discussing how to get the rod maker to cover their broken rods on warranty after admitting that it was their own fault.

 

If a rod doesn't break within a short time of using it when it is new, I's probably not a manufacturing error. It might not be your fault either. I'm pretty sure that the packers at Amazon kill more rods than users and makers combined.

[OnthePotomac]

I keep hearing these horror stories, but my 10 year old Carbonlite bait casters, plus additions for a total on 10 now have really taken a beating on the Tidal Potomac grass beds with snakeheads and 15lb cats and I certainly have never had a problem with any of them.  Lovin' the 2.0 version with the graduated line guides and Winn grips.  My Army lieutenant grandson did break one he had fishing his neighborhood lake forgetting fishing rods do no move immoveable objects very well.  Even though it was over two years old he took it back to BPS on a long shot and they gave him a new Carbonlite with no hassle.  No, he was not in uniform.

[LCG]

I have one casting and one spinning rod, the 2.0 version. Had them for one year now and never had a problem. I also don't lock the drags down with heavy braid or try to yank out logs if I get hung up. I think most rods break from poor technique on the anglers part. Things like high sticking, banging the rod blanks around, locking down drag etc. 

 

They are now my favorite rods and if they did break, I would replace them in a heart beat. The only rod I have ever broken was a Fenwick HMG when I fell down a rock hill and landed on it, not the rods fault, 100% my own fault. Not my finest moment

 

I think the carbonlites offer great value, comfort, and I like their actions. Even better if you grab them when they are on sale. 

[AmmoGuy]

They should just get rid of the silly line weight dial on the back. 
 

Other than that, nice rods.